Secondary smoke has been linked to a broad range of maladies, from life-threatening diseases such as cancer, emphysema, and heart disease, to less severe ailments, such as sore throats and colds.
In response to these well-documented health threats, new laws have been enacted nationwide to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of secondary cigarette smoke. These laws offer non-smokers some protection, but also infringe on the smoker's right to smoke. Moreover, despite the new laws, many people continue to be subjected to secondary smoke, both with and without their consent. Of particular concern, for example, are children who share a home with one or more smokers.
In addition to adversely effecting the health of non-smokers, secondary smoke contaminates exposed articles, such as furniture, clothes, car upholstery, and air conditioners. Such contamination may impart offensive odors and otherwise damage the effected articles.
Various types of filters and ionizing air cleaners are currently available on the market. However, they are often expensive and, because the smoke must first be expelled into the atmosphere before it can be treated, do not fully protect non-smokers and exposed articles from secondary smoke.
The dangers of smoking cigarettes are not limited to those associated with the inhalation of cigarette smoke. Many lives are lost, and an extraordinary amount of property is damaged, as a result of fires caused by the careless disposal of lit cigarettes. Additionally, smokers and non-smokers alike fall victim to fires that occur when smokers fall asleep while smoking. Those not directly affected by these needless tragedies share the burden of the resulting loss of lives and property in the form of increased insurance costs.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an inexpensive, portable device that will contain secondary smoke, thereby permitting smokers to indulge in their habit without infringing on the right of non-smokers to breathe clean air. Moreover, there is a need for a device that isolates a burning cigarette from the surrounding environment, thereby decreasing the incidence of fires caused by the careless disposal of cigarettes.